


Changes

by itswheremydemonshide10



Series: Robert Week 2017 [4]
Category: Emmerdale
Genre: Alcohol, Day 4, Gen, M/M, Robert Week 2017, robron break up
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-07
Updated: 2017-09-07
Packaged: 2018-12-23 00:43:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,779
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11978517
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/itswheremydemonshide10/pseuds/itswheremydemonshide10
Summary: Set during the break-up. Robert explores his identity; featuring new friends, a certain bar, and THAT floral shirt.





	Changes

**Author's Note:**

> Robert Week 2017 - Day 4: “That’s my favourite outfit on you.”

 It all starts in the Woolpack one night, Robert is there having a quiet pint, chatting across the bar with Victoria who’s drying glasses.

They both hear Adam’s cackle before he enters the pub, his arm slung around Aaron’s neck as they stumble up to the bar. Aaron shoots him a reserved smile, but doesn’t say anything, turning to Charity and ordering two pints instead.

Robert tries to ignore them, the same way that Vic is, but it’s hard. It’s clear they’ve had a couple of drinks already, as Adam loudly tells Charity about their plans to go into town now he’s got his wingman back. Robert can’t help but wince at that.

Vic must clock his reaction because she passes him a bottle of wine from behind the bar.

“I’ll be done soon, why don’t you take this back to mine and order us some Chinese food or summat. Rebecca’s up at Home Farm, so we can just chill out together.” Vic’s voice is cheerful and upbeat, but Robert knows by the way she is avoiding looking anywhere near Adam, that the comfort isn’t just for him.

“Ok, will you be alright?” he asks, not wanting to leave her, but not sure he can stand another second of Adam crowing about him and Aaron being “free, and single, and back on the pull.”

“Course.” Vic says, “I’ve only got another ten minutes, I’ll be fine!” She shoes him towards the door with a flick of her towel.

\--

As Robert heads to bed that night, too full with Chinese food, and slightly light-headed from the wine, he tries not to think about what Aaron might be doing right now. But because he can’t sleep, he can’t ignore the negative thoughts that swirl around his head, his stomach churning sickeningly at the thought of Aaron out at Bar West, no doubt with men hanging all over him, all hoping that he’ll take them to his home, his bed.

(Not their home. Not their bed. Not anymore.)

There’s also a twinge of regret at the thought of Bar West. Robert had never gone back after their disastrous earlier attempt, even though Aaron had brought it up a few times, Robert had always refused. Now he’s angry at himself for his own stubbornness. He should have taken Aaron there. He shouldn’t have let his feelings of discomfort prevent him from taking Aaron out and showing him off proudly, while Aaron was still his to be proud of.

He would later blame the three bottles of wine that he and Vic had drowned their sorrows in for his brilliant idea. But right now, the drink is swirling with guilt, regret, and frustration. So he throws back the covers, and wanders towards the bathroom, where he can hear the tap running, proof that Vic is still up.

She’s brushing her teeth over the sink when Robert knocks on the doorframe, causing her to jump slightly.

“I was thinking, we should go out tomorrow, me and you. Check out a few bars. We should be able to have fun too.” Vic narrows her eyes, like she’s trying to work out what he’s up to.

“I’m just saying. Why shouldn’t we?” Robert shrugs.

“All right then, you’re on!” She says, enthusiasm seeping into her voice now.

“Good.”

\--

“You’re sure this isn’t too much?” Robert asks, doubt seeping in now, as he stands in front of Vic’s kitchen mirror, playing with the collar of his shirt.

“No, it’s cute!” Vic reassures him.

“I’m not sure what I’m going for, but I’m pretty sure ‘cute’ isn’t it.” Robert mutters. “Maybe I should change?” he wonders aloud, still playing with the bright, floral-print shirt that he’s only ever worn once, the one that both Aaron and Rebecca had teased him for wearing.

“No!” Vic says firmly, shoving him in the direction of the front door, and their waiting taxi. “I’ve spent long enough waiting for you to get ready. This was your idea, remember?”

“All right, all right… we’re going!”

\--

They haven’t even finished their first drink, when Vic’s phone rings, and she meanders round the crowds to the outdoor smoking area, so that she can hear.

Robert plays with one of the beer mats with the Bar West logo on, as he waits for his sister to return. He’d seen the eyebrow she had raised at his when they pulled up outside the bar, the rainbow flags in the window making clear exactly what sort of bar they were heading to, but he’d been grateful that she hadn’t questioned it.

He’s surprised by how at ease he feels here now, content to sit on a stool with a beer and people watch, in a place that he wouldn’t have been caught dead in a few years ago. Despite everything, Robert thinks he feels a little bit proud of himself for that.

Vic looks stressed when she returns, her curled hair bouncing on her shoulders.

“That was Chas, work emergency. Apparently, Marlon and the kids have all got noro-virus, so he can’t go anywhere near the kitchen, and they’ve got a huge engagement party in. I’m sorry, can we finish this another time?”

“Yeah, don’t worry, go! I’ll see you later.” Robert tells her.

“Are ya not coming too?” Vic asks.

“I’ve just ordered another beer.” He lies. “I’ll finish it, then head back.”

“Ok.” Vic says, leaning over to kiss his cheek. “I’ll see you at home.”

As he watches her leave, he feels a pang of guilt. Vic is one of the few people he tries to avoid lying to. But the truth is he feels more free and normal here tonight, as just an anonymous face in a sea of people, in a way that he can’t really explain to himself, let alone to someone else.

“That’s my favourite outfit on you.” An unfamiliar voice comes from the stool beside him. When he looks to his left, he sees a good-looking bloke with light brown hair and a smart white shirt rolled up to the elbows.

“Uh… I’m pretty sure this is the only outfit you’ve ever seen me in, considering I’ve only just met you.” Robert replies, startled.

“Yeah, I’m sorry.” The guy says, visibly cringing. “That was a really dreadful pick-up line. At least let me buy you a drink to make up for it?”

The strangeness of the moment makes Robert freeze. It’s not as though he hasn’t been hit on plenty of times before, by both men and women, but this feels different. His experiences with men prior to Aaron had always been limited to brief, drunken fumbles. _Scratching an itch,_ he had always told himself, never letting himself consider anything beyond that.

It makes him feel strangely off-kilter now, to be here, out and single and being chatted up by an admittedly good-looking bloke who seemed genuinely interested in getting to know him.

“I’m… no offense but I’m not really looking for _that_ right now.” Robert tries to explain. “Bad breakup” he adds, shrugging.

“Ouch. Been there, don’t worry about it.” The guy says cheerfully, ordering two beers from the bartender regardless.

“Daniel” he adds.

“Robert.”

\--

Robert’s not sure how he ended up at one of the booth tables, downing shots with a bunch of people who had been strangers two hours ago, but that’s exactly what he’s doing.

Daniel’s open smile and friendly nature hadn’t been dimmed by rejection, quite the opposite. They had chatted for a while about where they were from, and what they did for a living, before Daniel insisted he join his group of friends at their table, performing introductions with a wave of his beer bottle.

There was Joe, a guy with broad shoulders and seemingly endless tattoos, who had a relaxed and easy-going manner.

Then there was Kate, a short, curvy young woman with dark hair and a dirty laugh.

On the other side of the table was Jamie, the life and soul of the party, with a boyish face and a constant stream of bad jokes that had everyone else creasing.

But by far his favourite was Dana, a dark-skinned woman with hair down to her waist, who immediately pulled Robert down into the booth to sit between her and Daniel. She was brutally honest, with a dry, sarcastic sense of humour and immediately Robert could see the two of them being great friends.

The group all welcomed him without batting an eyelid, and as Robert knocks back another shot of something foul-tasting, he realises that he feels more relaxed and cheerful than he has in a long time. He doesn’t think this night could have gone better, until Dana speaks.

“Help me out guys, you see that guy and girl by the bar… black shirt and red dress… who do you reckon is fitter, ‘cause I can’t decide.” She muses aloud, twirling her straw around in her violently blue cocktail.

The group is busy debating, when Robert’s alcohol-loose tongue blurts out the only thought running around his brain.

“You’re bi?” he asks Dana, surprised.

The group goes quiet, but Dana just coolly raises a carefully sculpted eyebrow.

“Problem?” she asks, and Robert belatedly realises that he’s given off the wrong impression.

“No! God no. I’d be a bit of a hypocrite if I did have a problem, given that I am too… I just don’t meet too many people around here who are, you know…” he trails off, relieved to see understanding wash over the faces round the table.

“Oh my god! I found another one!” Dana yells excitedly, like she’s just found a particularly rare Pokémon, throwing an arm over Robert’s shoulder and making the whole group burst out laughing.

\--

“Where did you get to last night then?” Is the question that immediately greets Robert as he goes in search of coffee.

Vic is already sitting at the kitchen table, dressed, with a bowl of cereal in front of her when he slumps down opposite with a steaming mug and a thumping headache. He ignores her mock-scandalised tone.

“Got chatting to some people at the bar… ended up staying longer than I expected.” He says.

“You? Making friends?” Vic questions.

Robert just reaches for a stray cheerio on the table, and flicks it at his sister in retaliation, laughing when it lands in her loose hair.

“Well it seems like you had a good night.” She says genuinely. “I’m glad, it’s nice to see you smiling again”.

His phone chimes, and he pauses to read the message (from Kate, asking him how his head feels this morning, followed by a string of emojis), before replying to Vic.

“Yeah. Yeah it is.”


End file.
